Salmon & steelhead

The upper Columbia chinook bite at the mouth of the Okanogan is still best in the early morning, reported guide Rick Hedding of Family Christian Anglers. He said there are many fish in the river and they are in beautiful shape. While the water temperature at the mouth is around 76 degrees, it is in the low 60s below Wells, and fishing has been fast near Wenatchee. Hedding said there are good numbers of chinook between Rocky Reach and Wells Dams, and he predicts excellent fishing for the coming week. Info: (509) 869-1444.

Lower Columbia chinook are being caught throughout the river, but best fishing was from Woodland upstream. Steelhead catches were best from Woodland downstream.

For hatchery steelhead, the Cowlitz River has been hot from Mission Bar to Mill Creek, with two out of three anglers taking home legal-sized fish. Steelhead fishing in the lower Columbia River is also expected to pick up now that more fish are being counted at Bonneville Dam.

Coho fishing at Westport, Ilwaco and Seiku has been slow –approximately one fish per angler. Neah Bay catch rates are about the same, with most being coho. La Push anglers are also pulling in about one fish per rod, about half being chinook.

Beginning Sunday, the Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) salmon fishery begins with a daily limit of two salmon. Anglers must release chinook and chum.

Trout and kokanee

Southern put-and-take lakes such as Williams, Fishtrap and Badger are still giving up limits of trout to both still-fishers and trollers.

Coeur d’Alene kokanee are scattered. Anglers report many hours for a few fish and are frustrated by an inability to mark large schools. Dale Moffat of Spokane said he has measured Coeur d’Alene kokes fish from 8-13 inches, but none close to the rumored 15. All were caught by fishing the thermocline, which is at 25 feet.

Roosevelt rainbow fishing has been excellent for anglers trolling large streamer flies with a piece of worm behind pop gear, flashers or dodgers at 20 feet. Many of these fish range from 16-22 inches with a few larger.

Loon Lake kokanee are averaging 9 inches. The magic depth this week is 30 feet for still fishermen after sundown. The kokes in Montana’s Koocanusa Reservoir are not particularly big this year, running 8-12 inches. Anglers are taking an average of 25 a day at approximately 30 feet.

Both Deer and Loon lakes have large rainbow populations. During the hot weather, night fishing is good. Small mackinaw are abundant in Deer Lake. Priest Lake in northern Idaho remains good for macks. Jigging is most effective.

Banks Lake kokanee and rainbow trout fishing is picking up. WDFW fish biologist Matt Polacek suggested anglers try the south end and west walls of the reservoir. “The kokanee fishery is a relatively new one at Banks Lake that anglers are still discovering,” he said. “We know there are a lot of fish for harvest, but angler pressure has been low.”

The St. Joe is certainly fishable, but there are many recreational floaters on the water. Hopper patterns are a good bet, or try a Bead-Head Lightening Bug dropper under a dry fly. The Coeur d’Alene has the same traffic jams as the Joe, and is fishing better up high. Outdoors editor Rich Landers said that on Tuesday at sundown, caddis instantly dominated hatch activity on the North Fork.

The Clark Fork should pick up if the cloud cover remains. Evening bug hatches on the Big Spokane River have been heavy. Fly-fishing is good, but stay above the sewage spill near Kiernan Avenue and Northwest Boulevard.

An angler who lives on Kootenay Lake in British Columbia said this has been the best year in the last 10 for big Dolly Varden and rainbow.

Spiny ray

I intended to launch at Northport on a midweek fishing trip to Roosevelt, but found the water too high and the boat ramp partially under water. China Bend looked better, but the fishing was slow, as was the Kettle River and vicinity. The river is at full pool.

A few walleye are coming out of Banks, reported Gordon Steinmetz at Big Wally’s on the south end. Successful anglers are fishing in 40 feet of water but dragging their spinner and worm at 20 feet for suspended fish. Smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing at Banks Lakes is good. Smallmouth up to 4 pounds are available along the rocky shoreline areas, and largemouth are fairly abundant in the northern part and the weedy bays.

Pikeminnow anglers report picking up walleye on the Snake River near Little Goose Dam. The Texas Rapids area near Starbuck, Wash., can be good.

Smallmouth bass have been more cooperative than the walleye on Washington lakes and reservoirs. Boat anglers fishing the Bonneville Pool have averaged nearly five bass per rod, plus some walleye. Boat anglers have also caught bass in The Dalles and John Day pools.

Deer Lake, north of Spokane, is an excellent place to catch smallmouth bass. WDFW fish biologist Jason McLellan encouraged anglers to catch and keep as many as legally allowed, as predator fish need to be eliminated to help suppressed kokanee populations and get things back in balance.

Other species

Sturgeon fishing has been good in Hells Canyon. Columbia River anglers are awaiting word on fishing opportunities both above and below Bonneville Dam. In recent days, fishery managers have been crunching catch numbers for the fishery below the Wauna power lines, which has been closed to sturgeon retention since July 5. A WDFW fishery manager said additional fishing days are doubtful below the Wauna power lines . The Bonneville Pool is also closed.

Hunting

The water is back and so are the ducks, according to a survey released this week by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The report indicates a 14 percent jump from last year in breeding duck populations, 9 percent higher than the long-term (1955-2006) average. Breeding populations of redheads, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, gadwalls, canvasbacks and northern shovelers are said to be among the highest they’ve been in the 52-year history of the survey. There is also a 32 percent jump in pintails from 2005.

Despite all the good news, Delta Waterfowl president Rob Olson said he’s concerned about mallard numbers, which only rose 8 percent and remain 3 percent less than their long-term average. Mallards are considered our most adaptable duck species.

Rains of early June may have been warm enough and sporadic enough to allow good pheasant chick survival. An excellent carryover crop from last year and an alfalfa crop cut later than normal have resulted in what appears to be good brood sizes. A more definitive report will be available in August when crops have been harvested.